New World Datsuns...

The next phase was about a year ago, when I started thinking about using a 2006 or newer Miata chassis. The problem is the wheelbase is about 3.7" shorter than a 510. So I did a photoshop to see how that would look.

I did a mild chop top, shortened the back door and front fender, and removed the rocker panels:




This is how tall the roof looked before the chop top photoshop:

Going off the photoshop, it looked like the chop was the height of the door handle:

Trying to get the A and C pillars lined up with the 3" wider lower window frames required bending out the pillars even more:

Don't worry about the rusty/shitty welds and fab work ... it will all be cut out and re-done a few more times:

I didn't realize how much the chop top would shorten the wheelbase, so I started thinking about cutting the roof in half:

The B pillars had to get moved back a few inches for the doors to fit:

With the doors all lined up .... it turned out the wheelbase was exactly the 91.7" that a 2006 Miata has:

Weld porn ...

A bigger problem was how horrible the small back window looked:




so I cut out the lower back window frame for the 3rd time:

and spent the next 6 months working on 710s:

I had been looking for a 2006 Miata with a bad motor or transmission for about a year.... nothing was less than $3500

then a few weeks after selling the orange 710 wagon, I found this on craigslist:

This is probably going to be the stupidest thing I've ever done:

It was super fun to drive, with a 2.0L 4 cylinder, 6 speed, and LSD. Kinda crazy to think about cutting up a car that was worth $30k 10 years ago:

Rose wants to do this with a first gen RX7. I say go for it!

Indy, I don't know how well your fab skills are, all I know is what I see on here. Sometimes I think you're halfway serious, sometimes I think you're halfway fucking with us. But I can say it is my opinion that you probably have balls you have to carry around in a wagon behind you.

I'd like to see how it'll be done. Take the Miata all the way down to the tub, then just rest the 510 body on it and haul ass. hahaha

Seems simple but there's just something special about it.

"But I can say it is my opinion that you probably have balls you have to carry around in a wagon behind you." We'll know for sure when we see the Miata hacked up.

On paper, Miatas sound really fun. Haven't had the chance to drive one though.

The first generation ones are a blast, like a big go cart. Any after that I don't know. I'd drive one, even if they're called "girl cars".